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I kept hearing, all my life, the big fat LIE that my period cramps would get better "later". After kids, after 30, whatever. And that my periods would get SHORTER.
Well I'm 36 with 2 kids and they are as horrid as they were in 8th grade. As in double over, want-to-die horrid. I have said before that I've had cramps worse than childbirth pains... and that's no exaggeration.
My periods are also almost always 7 days and fairly heavy. Blech.
So I'm wondering, has anyone actually seen this holy grail of lighter/less painful/shorter periods after having kids or turning 30?
I actually have a tiny ray of hope. This month there was less pain and for the first time ever it was only about 5 days, not 7. I had given up hope, figured I'd be better off waiting for menopause vs. waiting for some miraculous "improvement".
No, not I. I had a hysterectomy at age 45 and I haven't looked back. Like many of us women, we have to "suffer" through more even when periods are over. Menopause naturally or surgically isn't a picnic either.
There are many women who don't have severe problems, but I was always like you. That curse pretty much controlled my life with severe cramps, heavy bleeding, violent headaches, nausea, back pain, severe fatigue, and the list goes on. I don't know how I managed to get through it for 31 years and sometimes more often than 28 days. Gosh, I hated it so and I sincerely empathize. It is definitely a curse in my opinion.
So I'm wondering, has anyone actually seen this holy grail of lighter/less painful/shorter periods after having kids or turning 30?
Nope. I'm 51, have two kids, and they're still just as long, intense, messy and painful as ever. The only change I've seen has been that they come more frequently since I reached my 50's... oh, joy. Now instead of every 27-31 days, I can look forward to a couple at 26 days, then one at 14. Given that they generally last 6 or 7 days, I'm spending a lot more time ragging than I'd like to be.
Most of what I've read says that when one's cycles start to become irregular like that, it means that you're in "perimenopause". Now, that's simply WONDERFUL news to me, 'cause I am more than ready for that factory to shut down, but the problem is that the same articles all say that perimenopause can last for up to a decade. Uuurrrrrggghhhh.....
I had a tubal ligation after the birth of my last baby (14 yrs ago). Prior to that I never had a problem with periods. Not stating that I have severe pain now, but something definitely changed after the tubal. I can feel when my right ovary is ovulating and every month I have breast swelling/tenderness. In recent years my cycle has shortend as well as the length of my periods. At my last pap and exam my doctor ordered the transvaginal ultrasound. Seems I have a large uterus.
So I'm wondering, has anyone actually seen this holy grail of lighter/less painful/shorter periods after having kids or turning 30?
After having my first daughter my periods were still just as heavy,but my cramps nearly disappeared as a teenager my cramps were horrible.I'm 42 now and I do cramp abit,but it is bearable.My periods are shorter but I do get a real heavy day or two with alot of clots and will stop for a day and then start up for another day or so but with a light flow.
Well I just finished up this month's glorious cycle.....from hell!! I thought I might be easing up as the month before for the first time was not so bad....this one was horrible. Cramps, headache, insomnia, and passing clots....terrible. I tried BCP at one time and that was not good. Sigh....I too am ready for the factory to shut down. Oh what a party I will have!! If I can make it that far. I still am considering an ablation or hysterectomy. I am giving myself until next May to see if any improvement is on the horizon.
Mine have been awful since day one and I'm now 48! I was told when I was 13, 'don't worry dear as soon as you have children it will be better'. Well I never had children and it has been awful and perhaps worse in the last 5 years...it's hard to tell, when it's awful there may be varying degrees of awful, but it's still awful! The only thing that's helped for me, besides mass quantities of ibuprophen (it actually works better than alieve for me these days) is taking Pregnanlone which was recommended by my Naturopath, it has been a godsend for me.
Thank you for confirming what I've suspected and my doctor dismissed as "stress"! Diarrhea and heartburn used to accompany the start of my periods in my mid thirties but not so much anymore. I'm 40 now. The fear of endometriosis rolling me up into a ball is actually worse than my cramps. A friend of mine had a hot water irrigation so that she doesn't have to deal with periods anymore. Don't know what it's called, but she is thrilled to be able to enjoy every day of the year! Hooray for Diva Cups! I've reached that age where the switch has been flipped, the lever has been pulled - all I can think about is sex! So THIS is what all the hub-bub is about! Woo hoo!
The only thing that has ever helped mine is birth control pills. They became short, light, and painless - and the effect lasted for quite some time after I stopped taking them. They are starting to get pretty bad again, I am considering going back on them for awhile.
My cramps are at their worst at age 49. I double over from the pain and can only lie on the floor and cry. And they last for days to a week. I'm awake in the middle of the night now because I hurt so much. OTC meds don't touch the pain. Does anyone know of any good remedies? The docs say there is nothing wrong other than a tipped uterus and perimenopause. They're not the ones suffering with these excruciating pains. I've had cramps since I started my period at age 13 and spent lots of time in the nurse's office with hot water bottles on my belly. The last six months have been the absolute worst!
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And that my periods would get SHORTER.
